1. Field of the Invention
A coin controlled mechanism for use in combination with a dispensing device wherein the coil controlled mechanism includes a totalizer means to calculate the cumulative value of coins inserted therein to control the dispensing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A great many newspaper racks, cigarette machines and the like have been developed to provide a means of vending such items without the necessity of an attendant.
Today, most such machines include a mechanism for controlling the door or other dispensing element to permit opening the door only after the proper number of coins of proper denomination have been deposited in the machine. These machines may be mechanical, electro-mechanical or electrical.
It is obvious that the utilization of an efficient, accurate and reliable coin totalizer mechanism is crucial in the success and growth of the vending machine industry. Generally, these coin mechanisms are mechanical, electrical or a combination of electro-mechanical in their mode of operation.
An increasing number of electrically actuated coin controlled vending machines are becoming available. Basically, these machines may be considered somewhat more "sophisticated" in that they are designed to vend or dispense a plurality of different kinds of brands of merchandise within a varying price range. In this type of application, electrically operated vending machines are considered to have certain advantages over mechanical vending machines. These advantages generally relate to the factor of reliability wherein it may be considered that mechanical vending machines are more susceptible to abuse due to slamming, shaking or general rough treatment. This type of abusive treatment frequently results in mechanical failure of the mechanically operated vending machine because of the disruption of the linkage or gearing, etc. found therein.
Unfortunately, electrical vending machines generally comprise complicated electrical circuits and electrical parts making for increased liability to failure due to short circuits or other electrical faults. In addition, in many uses electrical power is not readily available for use with these vending machines.
Until recently, it is also considered that mechanical vending machines did not have the versatility to accept a wide variety of coins of various denomination in order to accomplish efficient dispensing of a product at one or more preselected prices. Accordingly, mechanical vending machines and more specifically, the coin totalizer mechanisms essentially controlling the dispensing of the product have been designed to handle a wide variety of coins deposited therein in any given sequence such that the mechanism will activate dispensing upon reaching or totalizing a predetermined quantity of money being deposited. In order to accomplish this versatility the design and structure of prior art coin totalizer mechanisms have become relatively complex thereby leading to increased rates of breakdown, less reliability and a greater expense for initial purchase and maintenance.
Thus, a need exists for a reliable mechanically operated coin controlled dispensing mechanism having the capability of registering relatively large amount of change to control the dispensing cycle in response thereto. Further there is a need for a means of easily adjusting the amount of change to properly actuate the dispensing mechanism.